Akani Simbine may not have many competitive 100m sessions under her belt this year, but the 30-year-old sprinter is undoubtedly the favorite to run away with the national title again at the South African Championships in Pietermaritzburg.
In the first qualifying round, Simbine gave his opponents a quick time of 10.07 s, after which he ran 10.27 s (official time) in the semi-finals in windy conditions.
The Olympic qualifying time in this event is 10.0 s.
According to the South African record holder – who will forget his spectacular run of 9.84 s in Hungary – he is satisfied with his first two runs in Pietermaritzburg.
“I am very happy that I was able to finish the session well and without problems. Now I just have to make sure that I successfully defend my title. This is something personal for me – after all, this is why I am here. You have to show the country and the world that you are still a force to be reckoned with,” said the five-time national champion.
The 100 m final will be decided this afternoon at 17:30.
Then Zenéy Geldenhuys also made the wheel in the 400 m hurdles event.
The young Pretorian – who boasts, among other things, a couple of African titles and a bronze medal at the Commonwealth Games – won her qualifying round run at a trot with 57.14 s.
She was more than a second faster than Gezelle Magerman (58.87 s) in second place.
The exciting former athletics star of the Afrikaans Hoër Meisieskool in Pretoria is also related to Jan Hendrik van der Westhuizen, South Africa’s first chef to receive a Michelin star.
Van der Westhuizen earlier told RNews that he was very proud of his fastest family member.
